Claims for Patent: 8,517,997

Summary for Patent: 8,517,997

Title:	Dispenser for medicaments and method and apparatus for making same
Abstract:	A dispenser assembly for liquid products is disclosed. Such an assembly may include an elongated barrel, and an elongated plunger having a flexible sealing lip disposed at an end thereof. The sealing lip may have an outer diameter in a relaxed state that is greater than an internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel. When the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes inwardly and provides the sole contact between the plunger and the barrel.
Inventor(s):	Manera; David A. (Petersburg, NJ), Buehler; John D. (Bridgeton, NJ)
Assignee:	Comar, Inc. (Buena, NJ)
Application Number:	12/029,925
Patent Claims:	1. A dispenser assembly, comprising: an elongated barrel having an internal cross-sectional diameter, and an elongated plunger having a hollow tip portion positioned within the barrel and a body portion extending from the tip portion and terminating at an upper end positioned externally from the barrel, wherein a flexible sealing lip is formed on the hollow tip portion, the body portion comprises a hollow, circular cylinder that extends from the hollow tip portion and is outwardly flared at the upper end to form a flange that is operable as a finger grip, the hollow tip portion and the hollow cylinder define a closed interior volume that opens through the flared upper end of the body portion, the sealing lip has an outer diameter in a relaxed state that is greater than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, and when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes inwardly and provides the sole contact between the plunger and the barrel. 2. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the barrel is made of a first material having a first translucence and the plunger is made of a second material that is different from the first material having a second translucence which is less than the first translucence. 3. The dispenser assembly of claim 2, where the first material is substantially translucent and the second material is substantially opaque. 4. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes inwardly against its bias. 5. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing lip is biased radially outward in the relaxed state. 6. The dispenser assembly of claim 5, wherein, when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes radially inwardly. 7. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral edge of the flexible lip is chamfered. 8. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing lip is disposed circumferentially around the hollow tip portion. 9. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the sealing lip is axially directed. 10. A dispenser assembly, comprising: an elongated barrel having an internal cross-sectional diameter; and a one piece elongated plunger having a body portion, a flared portion disposed at a proximal end of the body portion to define a flange that is operable as a finger grip, a hollow tip portion disposed at a distal end of the body portion, and a sealing lip disposed circumferentially around the hollow tip portion, wherein the sealing lip has an outer diameter that is greater than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, the body portion comprises a hollow, circular cylinder that extends from the hollow tip portion to the proximal end of the body portion, the hollow tip portion and the hollow cylinder define a closed interior volume that opens through the flared portion of the body portion, in a relaxed state, the outer diameter of the sealing lip is greater than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, and, when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the outer diameter of the sealing lip is less than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, and the barrel is made of a first plastic material having a first translucence and at least the flexible sealing lip and the body portion of the plunger are made of a second plastic material having a second translucence which is less than the first translucence. 11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the diameter of the sealing lip is greater than the diameter of the hollow tip portion. 12. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein the barrel is made of a first material and the plunger is made of a second material that is different from the first material the first material is substantially translucent and the second material is substantially opaque. 13. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein the barrel is made entirely of a first material and the plunger is made entirely of a second material that is different from the first material. 14. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein, when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes inwardly against its bias. 15. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein the sealing lip is biased radially outwardly in the relaxed state. 16. The dispenser assembly of claim 15, wherein, when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip flexes radially inwardly. 17. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein an outer peripheral edge of the flexible lip is chamfered. 18. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein the sealing lip is axially directed. 19. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein, when the plunger and barrel actuated axially relative to one another, the sealing lip provides the sole contact between the plunger and the barrel. 20. A dispenser assembly, comprising: an elongated barrel having an inner cylindrical wall that defines an internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel; and an elongated plunger having a shaft and a sealing lip formed on a hollow tip end of the shaft, the hollow tip end positioned within the barrel and the shaft extending from the hollow tip end toward an upper end that is positioned externally from the barrel, the sealing lip having a circular outer perimeter that defines an outer diameter in a relaxed state that is greater than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, wherein: the shaft comprises a hollow, circular cylinder that extends from the hollow tip end to the upper end of the elongated plunger, the hollow tip end and the hollow cylinder define a closed interior volume that opens through the upper end of the elongated plunger, the outer perimeter of the sealing lip engages the inner wall of the barrel as the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another, and the barrel is made of a first plastic material having a first translucence and at least the flexible sealing lip and the shaft of the plunger are made of a second plastic material having a second translucence which is less than the first translucence. 21. The dispenser assembly of claim 20, wherein the entire outer perimeter of the sealing lip engages the inner wall of the barrel as the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another. 22. The dispenser assembly of claim 20, wherein the barrel defines a discharge opening at a first end thereof and is open at a second end thereof opposite the first end, and wherein the outer perimeter of the sealing lip begins to engage the inner wall of the barrel as the plunger is inserted into the barrel from the open end toward the discharge opening. 23. A dispenser assembly, comprising: an elongated barrel having an internal cross-sectional diameter; and a one piece elongated plunger having a body portion, a hollow tip portion disposed at a distal end of the body portion, an upper end portion that extends externally from the barrel, and a sealing lip disposed circumferentially around the hollow tip portion, the sealing lip having an outer diameter that is greater than the internal cross-sectional diameter of the barrel, wherein: an air gap is defined between the sealing lip and the hollow tip portion, the body portion comprises a hollow, circular cylinder that extends from the hollow tip portion to the upper end portion of the elongated plunger, the hollow tip portion and the hollow cylinder define a closed interior volume that opens through the upper end portion of the elongated plunger, and the barrel is made of a first plastic material having a first translucence and at least the flexible sealing lip and the body portion of the plunger are made of a second plastic material having a second translucence which is less than the first translucence. 24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sealing lip provides the sole sliding contact between the plunger and the barrel when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another. 25. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the air gap is diminished when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another. 26. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sealing lip flexes radially inwardly and diminishes the air gap when the plunger and barrel are actuated axially relative to one another. 27. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the sealing lip is biased radially outwardly in the relaxed state. 28. The dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the barrel is made of polypropylene and the plunger is made of polyethylene. 29. The dispenser assembly of claim 10, wherein the barrel is made of polypropylene and the plunger is made of polyethylene. 30. The dispenser assembly of claim 20, wherein the barrel is made of polypropylene and the plunger is made of polyethylene. 31. The dispenser assembly of claim 23, wherein the barrel is made of polypropylene and the plunger is made of polyethylene.